


The Purrfect Companion

by Carmenlire



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Universe, Cat Magnus Bane, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Magical Accidents, POV Magnus Bane, alec just rolls with it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-19 12:29:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20657276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmenlire/pseuds/Carmenlire
Summary: The potion splashes onto him, soaking through his clothes and Magnus has a very brief moment to think that he’s going to smite the bastard client into the next century for this.In the next moment, he finds himself very small and very irritated. A plaintive noise escapes him as he gets his bearings.He refuses to classify it as ameow.





	The Purrfect Companion

The potion is almost finished. It only needs to simmer for a few more minutes until it turns a ghastly mustard yellow. It’s a putrid green now and Magnus sighs as he continues his slow but steady counter-clockwise stirring.

This particular request was from a bastard of a client but he was willing to pay his thirty percent rush order fee and while the potion would be an irritant to the recipient, it didn’t violate his code of business ethics.

Biting back a yawn, Magnus blinks rapidly. It’s late at night-- probably verging closer to dawn than dusk-- and Alec’s out on patrol. Magnus had taken the opportunity to catch up on work in his apothecary. He’s always enjoyed these hours in-between and it’s soothing, working methodically through client orders.

Expecting Alec back in a few hours, he frowns a little. He sighs and there’s no one to hear him, to hear the disappointment that he’ll be crawling into a cool bed alone soon. It confounds him, exasperates him, but Magnus dreads falling asleep without his boyfriend.

It rarely happens these days. As Head of the Institute, Alec keeps much more regular hours and only ventures out on patrol during exceptionally trying times or-- once a week-- because he wants to keep a hand in the game.

What game, Magnus still has yet to learn but it keeps Alec on an even keel and always results in a slow, _thoroughly_ appreciative bout of sex the next morning.

At least he has something to look forward to, Magnus thinks with a wry twist of his mouth. He always makes it a point to book appointments after noon the day after a night patrol is scheduled and those weekday mornings are some of his favorite hours in the week-- making breakfast for the two of them, reverently cataloging Alec as he stumbles to the breakfast table, still mostly asleep, their quiet conversation with laughter lingering in the undertones more often than not. It’s everything he wants in a relationship-- everything he could wish for him and Alexander.

He’s just pouring the potion into a small vial when he’s startled by his ringtone. Magnus has a habit of turning the volume all the way up when he knows Alec’s in the field-- he doesn’t want to miss a call or urgent string of texts if he’s needed.

Vicious curses slip from him as his heart immediately seizes in a dull panic. He shouldn’t be hearing from Alec and his mind starts whirling at those implications. Startled then, the mostly full vial slips out of his hands and falls to the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces.

The potion splashes onto him, soaking through his clothes and Magnus has a very brief moment to think that he’s going to smite the bastard client into the next _century_ for this.

In the next moment, he finds himself very small and very irritated. A plaintive noise escapes him as he gets his bearings.

He refuses to classify it as anything resembling a _meow_.

Sighing, Magnus lets his eyes close slowly and counts deliberately to ten-- and then fifty and then to one hundred for good measure.

By the time he’s opened his eyes again, his phone has fallen silent and it takes him much longer than it should to unlock his phone with his nose and play the voicemail that Alec had left him. He sags against the floor as his boyfriend’s words wash over him.

_“Hey, babe, the city’s dead tonight so I told Jace and Iz to call it a night. I’m on my way home now.”_ There’s a contemplative beat of silence before he’s continuing, _“You must have fallen asleep already. I can’t wait to join you; I’m dead tired. Love you and see you soon, Magnus.”_

For the second time in as many minutes, Magnus closes his eyes and tries to sink into the space under his desk. He has no idea how Alec will react to his new body and the potion won’t fade for a full twenty four hours.

Deciding there’s nothing to be done about it, Magnus pads around his desk and out into the hallway. He spares a brief moment to hiss at the remnants of the potion before he heads to their bedroom and jumps up onto the bed.

It takes a few minutes to get comfortable but Magnus finally finds himself drifting off on Alec’s side of the bed, his boyfriend’s imminent return letting him relax enough to sleep.

Seeming like minutes later, Magnus is jarred awake by the sound of footsteps nearing. He doesn’t move-- he’s far too comfortable-- but he slits his eyes open just enough to watch Alec come into the room.

Alec doesn’t notice him and Magnus is struck by the opportunity to watch Alec from a different perspective. He watches as his boyfriend tugs his shirt off and throws it haphazardly in the direction of the hamper. Were he human, that would earn Alec a huff of exasperation but now he just glares and watches Alec run a hand through his hair and turn toward the bathroom.

Just a little while later, Alec’s collapsing in bed. He must not notice the cat just inches from his side and Magnus’s heart turns over as he watches Alec reach an arm out and make a little noise of disappointment when it runs across cool sheets.

“Must’ve been called away,” Alec mutters to himself. He sighs and then he starts moving. Magnus’s hackles rise as Alec starts unceremoniously ripping the covers away so that he can climb between them. It takes his boyfriend a moment or two to settle under the comforter and then he’s smashing his face into his pillow, sinking into the mattress with a moan that wouldn’t be amiss at another time.

Magnus doesn’t move right away. Instead, he sits on his own side of the bed, his tail moving slowly from side to side as he watches Alec. Like this, his love looks years younger. Really, it’s more like a weight’s been lifted from his shoulders that he carries stoically each and every day.

While it’s not news, it’s a little punch in the chest to see, once again, that Alec is so comfortable in his space, that he’s able to relax and enjoy being in Magnus’s little corner of the world.

He can’t help himself, though, and Alexander just looks so warm. Carefully, Magnus starts inching closer to Alec. He doesn’t want to startle the man but there’s a little space next to his stomach that looks like the perfect space to curl up and sleep.

When he’s close enough, Magnus very slowly and gently butts his nose against Alec’s arm. He knows that Alec will start to worry in the morning when he’s still nowhere to be found and he’s not quite sure how to tell Alec that he’s a cat for the next little while but all of that can wait until morning. Right now, Magnus feels the drag of sleep like a particularly heavy blanket and all he wants is to curl into his boyfriend’s side and worry about everything else later.

Alec hums a little but it seems he’s fallen straight to sleep for he doesn’t move anymore. In fact, those adorable little snores that Magnus so loves start escaping and Magnus’s ears twitch at the familiar sound.

He really doesn’t relish the thought of Alec waking in the night and shooing him out of bed in a dead panic though, so Magnus perseveres and meows very loudly.

Luckily, that’s enough for Alec to shift. Magnus butts against him again to gain his attention and when Alec’s gaze lands on him, he’s treated to a faint frown, even as his boyfriend reaches a hand out to pet him absently.

“Magnus didn’t tell you the rules, did he,” Alec asks with small smile. Magnus sees that he’s trying to look stern but he’s half asleep. “No cats in the bedroom.”

Meowing plaintively, Magnus arches into the touch. The noise turns into a purr of contentment as Alec’s warm palm slides over him.

Huffing out a laugh, Alec tries again. “I’m serious,” he says, not sounding so at all. “Magnus is going to hex you for getting fur all over his Egyptian cotton sheets. He bought them full price you know,” he adds with appropriate gravitas.

Magnus feels his expression morph into a scowl and then he’s opening his eyes to stare Alec down.

He’s surprised at Alec’s quick intake of breath that sounds suspiciously like a gasp.

_“Magnus?”_

Magnus’s ears perk up at the word and his tail cocks to the side as he just levels Alec with a look. He remains still as Alec carefully brings a hand up to his face, laying a thumb just under his eye.

Mouth opening on a breath, Alec bites his lip, obviously considering his words. Finally, he sighs and leans up onto one elbow. His gaze is sharp as he studies Magnus.

“Blink twice if it’s you, babe.”

Magnus swishes his tail as he closes his eyes for a long beat. When he opens them again, he can tell that Alec’s holding his breath. He pauses a moment-- making Alec sweat a little-- before he repeats the motion.

That done, he straightens and moves the few inches close to Alec’s side. Resting his head on Alec’s forearm, he wraps his tail around himself and melts into his boyfriend. It’s silent for a moment before Alec’s sighing and moving until he’s covering Magnus with a careful hand. Magnus sinks even more in the hold and hears Alec laugh a little.

“Your eyes gave you away, you know. It’s just your unglamoured eyes. They’re still stunning. Which, admittedly, is not something I thought I’d ever say to a cat,” he grumbles under his breath but Magnus is too content to do more than purr. He's not even embarrassed by the volume or fervor. IT feels too damned good to be surrounded by Alec, to hear his love declare, yet again, the his warlock mark is anything but abhorrent.

Alec strokes a hand down his back as he warns, “We’re talking about this tomorrow, babe-- or, well, whenever you change back.”

Magnus, of course, doesn’t say anything. He just moves his tail so that it drapes over Alec’s arm and falls asleep to Alec snoring.

When he wakes up in the morning, it’s to find that he’s resting on Alec’s back. Curled into a little ball, Magnus doesn’t move immediately. He’s perfectly content with the vibrations of Alec’s snores under him and his boyfriend is warm.

He passes some time licking his paws before he gets bored. There’s nothing to do like this so he starts sniffing along Alec’s back, nosing up until he reaches his neck.

Alec grumbles but doesn’t wake and Magnus decides it’s time to take matters in hand. He jumps off Alec and starts batting at his arm. He watches as Alec frowns before he’s slowing opening his eyes.

To his credit, he’s not startled when he sees Magnus staring intently at him. No, he just smiles a little-- his sleepy grin that Magnus loves to tease out in the mornings-- and raises a hand. Magnus takes the invitation and gently butts it with his hand, encouraging Alec to pet him.

“Morning,” he says hoarsely and Magnus meows a reply that’s as indecipherable to him as it probably is to Alec.

They pass a little while like that as Alec wakes up. It’s quiet and Magnus finds that unlike last time he was treated to this potion-- Ragnor hadn’t let him live it down for _decades_\-- this time around he’s not anxious or overly annoyed. While he’d much rather have opposable thumbs and the ability to kiss Alexander properly, he’s definitely not complaining about his morning.

“Blink twice if this is reversible,” Alec says out of nowhere and Magnus blinks twice immediately.

“Good.” Alec grunts and then turns so that he’s on his back. “I don’t know what I’d do if my boyfriend had turned into a cat for the rest of eternity.”

Magnus can’t help himself and he pads over to Alec until he’s on his chest. They stare at each other for a few moments and then Alec’s sighing as he scratches behind his ears.

“As much as I’d love to stay home all day, I do need to get some work done. Do you want me leave you be or do you want to come to the Institute with me? I’m sure neither option is ideal but at least at the Institute you could keep me company as I do paperwork. There’s even a fireplace. Cats are supposed to like those, right?”

Magnus doesn’t react as he considers his options. He’s sure that Alec would leave him some food and turn the tv on if he indicated that he didn’t want to leave the loft today. Truthfully, that had been his plan all along. Better to ride this out in the safety and comfort of his own home.

But as he runs Alec’s offer through his head, it’s certainly alluring. While the idea of being in the Institute in this form would’ve been intolerable just a short time ago, Magnus finds that he likes the idea of padding through the halls at Alec’s side, twining between his feet, sitting on the corner of his desk and watching him work.

And he definitely won’t rule out the idea of a nap in front of the hearth. It is November, after all, and chilliness seeps into the walls of the Institute. Or better yet, Magnus thinks, he could nap in Alec’s lap. Yes, he really likes that idea better.

It’s all so devastatingly easy to picture.

Magnus lets Alec know his decision by jumping out of bed and starting toward the door. He looks behind him and cocks his head to the side and Alec laughs as he throws the covers off and starts to climb out of the bed.

“Yeah, yeah. I have to get ready first, babe.”

Magnus nods and leaves Alec to his shower. He spends the next little while wandering around his loft. It’s home but from this vantage point it all seems a little overwhelming. He’s thankful when Alec comes through the doorway and into the living room.

Walking over to him, Magnus slinks against his ankle and he’s rewarded with Alec leaning over and petting him. “Let me grab a coffee-- I don’t think you’d be welcomed in Starbucks-- and we can head out. Okay?”

Magnus meows his acquiescence and soon enough Alec’s opening the front door and heading to work.

Under his breath, Magnus hears him add, “A cat walking calmly alongside a guy without a leash or anything is definitely not the weirdest thing New York’s ever seen, right?”

Magnus has fourteen hours left until he’s back to normal and he counts the seconds down. Admittedly, not as obsessively as he would if he didn’t have Alec but. Still.

The rest of the day promises to be an adventure, if nothing else.

**Author's Note:**

> Catch me on tumblr or twitter @carmenlire!


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